LEWISTON – Brendan Jarboe doesn’t like the way Wal-Mart treats its employees. He doesn’t like the company’s morals, its policies or its standards.
But he tried to keep an open mind when he walked into a Bates College classroom to see a harsh film about the retail giant.
“I shop at Wal-Mart,” said Jarboe, a Bates sophomore. “I shop at Wal-Mart because I have no money.”
It was a conflict many people had Monday.
More than 200 students and community members flooded the classroom Monday night to see “Wal-Mart: The High Cost of Low Price,” a 100-minute film that portrays the company as a lying, cheating retail giant that will do anything to earn a profit. The movie was released recently on DVD and a Bates student social justice group set up a screening.
“They’re scary. They’re the largest company in the world, and they treat their employees horribly,” said sophomore Erin Reed, who helped organize the viewing.
So many people showed up to the free film that some had to sit on the floor or stand, lining the back of the large classroom.
Don Robitaille, a retired Coca-Cola vending machine repairman from Lewiston, thought the film might be interesting. He volunteers at a local food bank and liked the contributions Wal-Mart makes. He liked the company’s low prices.
“My feeling is people can’t afford not to shop there,” he said.
Linda Champlain didn’t hate Wal-Mart, but she wasn’t sure she liked it, either.
“All these big box stores are giving us a cloned look,” said Champlain, a jewelry store employee from Auburn. “It’s kind of sad.”
The movie started with a speech from Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott to shareholders, then cut to a small hardware store that was apparently driven out of business.
Ominous music played and the screen filled with “closing” and “for sale” signs.
The movie charged that Wal-Mart pushed small business out of the area. It accused towns of giving the retail giant unfair tax breaks at the expense of local business. It accused Wal-Mart of paying low wages and offering only high-cost health insurance, illegally invading employee privacy when they wanted a union and getting rich while its workers, communities, customers and the environment suffer.
At one point, the movie said Wal-Mart employees gave more $5 million to help disaster victims. The Walton family, which owns the Wal-Mart chain, gave $6,000.
“God, they’re greedy!” exclaimed Brenda Watts, a member of the Lewiston and Androscoggin County Democratic committees.
As upbeat gospel music played in the background, the film ended with a list of communities that refused Wal-Mart stores.
The audience applauded.
Wal-Mart has condemned the film. On its Web site, www.walmartfacts.com, it lists 28 pages of errors and the corresponding facts.
“Really, this is a propaganda video. There is no effort or intent to show a balanced view,” said Dan Fogleman, a company spokesman.
Some Lewiston viewers wanted to hear from the other side. But for Jarboe, the sophomore who tried to keep an open mind, the movie told him everything.
“I was persuaded,” he said. “I don’t think I’ll shop there any more.”
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